


Repercussions

by Arkanna



Category: Legacy of Kain
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 14:23:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11232855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkanna/pseuds/Arkanna
Summary: How actions can create unforeseen ripples.





	Repercussions

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Legacy of Kain or any of its characters. Only the OC is mine.

_Too long dead,_ Kain thought to himself with a weary sigh. His fledglings still acted more like children than adults.

He brought them out with the intention of teaching them to hunt the more dangerous types of humans that inhabited Nosgoth. When they had stumbled cross the ancient siege engine, his plans were completely derailed by their pure curiosity.

As hidden as it was by bushes and debris, the ballista had obviously been there for a very long time. A remnant of some long forgotten battle. The reason for its abandonment became quite obvious as it was roughly dragged from its hiding place. The axle of the cart transporting it was clearly broken and its wooden wheel's metal rims warped beneath the ballista's weight. Too heavy to move onto another cart and too unwieldy and time consuming to disassemble, it had simply been abandoned.

What was left of the cart was nearly completely rotted, the wood soft from rain and mold and the attentions of insects. The weapon was made of a much harder and better quality wood. While the cart disintegrated when the ballista was moved, it only lost a few unimportant chunks from its frame. That it was still even mostly in one piece had been quite remarkable and Kain was certain it must have been warded against decay and ruin.

Resignedly, Kain leapt into the higher branches of a nearby tree and crouched comfortably against the sturdy trunk. His attention split between the antics of his fledglings and anything in the surrounding area that might pose a threat. He was greatly surprised when the sudden threat and blow came from his own.

Rahab seemed to understand how the thing was meant to work and managed to winch the bowstring at least partially into position before the mechanism seized up. The critical parts of the ballista must have been spelled long ago and some part of the magic lingered as the sinew of the torsion springs was still capable of twisting and storing potential energy and the bowstring had not deteriorated past a small amount of dry rot. Melchiah found a suitably round stone, nowhere near the size of the single talent stone the weapon had once been capable of launching, and loaded it into the ballista.

With a great sense of anticipation, Zephon grabbed the firing mechanism, but when he pulled, nothing happened. The bowstring was not locked into place and it was not capable of being released. He tried several times before Dumah, in a fit of pique, gave it a tremendous kick.

The ballista swung around and the firing mechanism broke releasing the bowstring, sending the stone in a different trajectory. Needless to say, they were all quite surprised when Kain fell from a nearby tree with a pain filled thud.

 

Kain sat bolt upright, staring for a moment, then blinked at the strange bed. The room was unfamiliar as were the assorted scents that wafted through the open window. He noted it was daylight and that the window was carefully shuttered against the sun.

A slight noise riveted Kain's eyes on the lone door. It opened slowly and a woman, not young by any means, but still fair of face, drifted into the room. She held a tray with a pitcher of something dark in color and a rather fine goblet. Regarding Kain a moment, she set it on a small table near enough that Kain could easily reach, yet far enough that she was beyond all but a sudden lunge.

“Who are you?” he snarled narrowing his eyes on her.

She chuckled quietly, “Many things, but a healer is probably the most accurate.”

The smell of carefully preserved blood finally reached Kain. A look of surprise flashed across his face before it was replaced with a deeper glare, “You know what I am.”

“Indeed I do, KAIN,” she stressed.

“And you are not afraid,” he growled.

“Afraid?” she puzzled a moment, “no, wary, yes. But it would do neither of us any good if you would attempt to kill me. I fear, vampire or not, your brains are still quite shaken,” she indicated the back of his head.

Kain touched a talon to his hair and found it matted with something. Blood smell immediately perfumed the air when he pulled a talon through the mess. He hissed in pain and displeasure. To his great surprise there was a large lump on the back of his head. Given its size it must have been a grievous injury to be as yet unhealed. Kain shook his head and groaned. It felt as if his brain were sloshing between his ears and he still could not recall how he had come to harm.

“What . . .” he began but she held up her hand.

“It is something you must ask your fledglings, though I doubt you will get the whole truth. I only saw the stone strike you. I fear they were not certain what to make of you lying face down and unresponsive, oozing blood from a wound that was loath to heal. To his credit, your eldest, I believe, tried to convince the others to take you to your dwelling. They argued quite heatedly until dawn's light forced them to flee. There was some attempt made to keep you from the sun though I fear it would have been inadequate.”

Kain narrowed his eyes a moment, thinking, and then it all came flooding back. The ballista! The damned thing was still operational after all those centuries. He remembered the surprised gasps and shouts a mere second before his head had blossomed in excruciating pain. By what quirk of fate had they managed to hit him?! With a jolt, he realized that the torsion springs were probably weakened after all that time and that was most likely the ONLY reason he STILL had his head!

“And this?” he asked, not quite snarling, more curious now that he remembered what had happened, more or less.

“My home,” she leaned against the door frame regarding him carefully.

Kain noticed that while she seemed relaxed, there was a subtle tension about her. She carried no obvious weapons yet he wondered, she HAD willingly brought a vampire into her home.

“And how is it I have come to be here?” he reached for the pitcher slowly but found the sudden stab of pain that coursed through his head near nauseating.

“I brought you here,” she replied approaching cautiously, his discomfort quite apparent. “And I must confess it was a race between myself and the rising sun.”

She sat the now filled goblet much closer. Kain waited until she had backed away before retrieving it.

“Why?” he asked, carefully inspecting the liquid before taking a wary sip.

“I am a healer first and foremost. It matters little to me who or what the individual, only that they might benefit from my skills. I could no more leave you to your fate than I could any other, vampire or not. However, I have an ulterior motive as well. Your continued welfare is crucial to my very existence.”

He glared at her over the rim of his goblet, “How so?” His voice had taken on a deadly tone.

“Each of us is like a single drop of rain upon the sea, sending ripples through those our lives may touch, some of whom we may not even know. What we are, were, and will become affecting them in unseen ways. I may not speak as freely as you perhaps would wish, but know that certain events brought about by your own desires will lead to the death of specific individuals. Only their deaths can guarantee my own existence.”

Had his battered skull not threatened to whirl him to the floor, Kain would have leapt from the bed at her remarks. As it was, he leveled his most malevolent glare at her, attempting magic made his head pound in a most violent and sickening manner.

“I wondered when you would miss it, on the left against the wall.”

A quick flick of his gaze confirmed the Reaver was within easy reach.

“How do you know such things?”

“My mother was a seer, as her mother and her mother before her, this day was foretold. Though I was greatly surprised to discover which vampire I would provide shelter for the day, as her dying prophecy was not specific.”

“And what do YOU see?” he growled.

“Nothing, my skills lie elsewhere. My YOUNGER sister continues the tradition,” she said rather bitterly. “It is late afternoon, by the time dusk arrives your head should be mended. The war engine lies half a league to the north.”

She turned to leave but glanced over her shoulder, “As I have said, this is my home, you are always welcome here Kain. Should you ever have need, you will find sanctuary.”

 

When dusk arrived, the woman was nowhere to be found. Unafraid she might be, but obviously not a fool. A small scrap of parchment caught his attention and the slight hint of a wicked smile graced his lips as he read.

 

 _As you journey through this land centuries from now, remember to have sport with the war party you will encounter. Though only a slight detour in your quest, I am sure it will provide you with great amusement and a certain level of satisfaction in the destruction of their siege engine. In retrospect, may I suggest, perhaps, a bit of leniency with your fledglings as ancient things can be quite cantankerous when treated without proper respect. Though_ _accidental, I am sure there will still be hell to pay._

 

Kain chuckled darkly as he exited the small dwelling. It was solid and made of stone, imbued with some ancient magic it seemed to blend into its surroundings. He took careful note of its location before shifting into a cloud of bats, it was always good to know where potential allies might be found.

 


End file.
